Window cleaning apparatus



June 30, 1953 RQMANQ 2,643,412

WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR X. 00/3 Paw/ 4 N0 June 30, 1953 L. ROMANO WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1951 INVENTOR laws F0 Mill 0 ATTORNEYS Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Louis Romano, Bronx, N. Y.

Application May 4, 1951, Serial No. 224,565

6 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for. cleaning windows, and more particularly to a mechanically operated window washer and wiper.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved window cleaning device which is simple in construction, which is arranged for cleaning the outside surfaces of windows without the necessity of the operator leaning out of the window, and which provides a thorough cleaning action.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical window cleaning apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture, which may be employed to clean the outside surfaces of windows without hazard to the operator, which is adjustable in accordance with different sizes of windows, and which involves relatively few parts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an outside elevational view of a window showing an improved window cleaning device according tothe present inventionmounted adjacent the window in position for cleaning same;

Figure 2 is an inside elevational view of the window of Figure 1, and showing the improved window cleaning apparatus;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken through the window of Figures 1 and 2, showing the improved window cleaning apparatus in side elevation;

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the window cleaning apparatus employed in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the lower portion of the window cleaning apparatus of Figures 1 to 6, a portion of the supporting elements of the main housing being broken away to reveal details of construction, and said main housing beingv shown in outwardly tilted position;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the improved window cleaning apparatus, portions thereof being shown in cross-section, the bladesupporting bracket member of the apparatus being shown secured in elevated position;v

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the blade-supporting bracket mem- 2 her of the improved window cleaning apparatus, showing, the connection thereof. to the flexible supporting belt which drives the bracket memher for vertical movement;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the window wiping blade and the resilient supports thereof which are adapted to be attached to the bracket member of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective. view of the lower portion of the window frame of Figure 1, showing the attaching bar employed to secure the window cleaning apparatus;

Referring to the drawings, H designates a window frame of conventional construction in which are slidably mounted the respective upper and lower window sash elements I2 and [3. Designated at M is the bottom window sill, and secured to said sill is a generally Z-shaped bar l5 extending substantially for the entire width of the sill Id and provided with the depending outer flange l6.

Designated at I? is a base plate provided at its forward edge with an upturned flange l8 adapted to lockingly engage beneath the bar l5 behind flange 16 thereof to secure the base plate I! on the lower extension of the window sill, shown at iii. The plate member I! is formed at its side margins with the vertical flanges 20; Designated at 2i is a channel-shaped member which is received between the flanges 20 of plate member I! and which is pivotally connected at the rear portions of its side flanges to the rear portions of the side flanges 20 of plate member IT, as shown at 22. The side flanges 2!) are formed adjacent their forward ends with upstanding lugs 23 and with arcuate slots 24, as shown in Figure 7. Extending through the slots 25 are pin elements 25 secured'to the side flanges of the channel member 21 and which serve to limit the upward rotation of the channel member 21 relative to the base plate ll.

Designated at 2% is an elongated, upstanding housing whose lower portion is slidably received in the channel member 21', the side flanges of said channel member being formed with longitudinal slots 21, the lower side portions of the housing 26 being provided with studs 28' extending' through the slots 21 and provided with wing nuts 29 for securing the housing 26 in adjusted position along the slots 27 in the channel member H. The upper marginal portions of the side flanges of the channel member 2 i may be marked with a numerical scale as indicating various positions of adjustment of the housing 26 in accordance with the requirements of different window constructions. The depending flange I6 of bar member I is likewise provided with a numerical scale 3| indicating different positions of adjustment of the base plate 11 along bar [5 in accordance with different widths of window panes to be cleaned.

The front wall of the housing 26 is formed with an elongated slot 33 extending for the major portion of the length of said front wall. Journaled in the upper portion of housing 26 is a first pulley 34, and journaled in the lower portion of said housing is a second pulley 35. Engaged around the pulleys 34 and 35 is an endless flexible belt 36. Designated at 31 is a bracket member which extends through the slot 33 and which is clamped at its inner end to the belt 36 in the manner shown in Figure 9. Designated at 38 is a window wiper assembly comprising a blade 39 and a pair of resilient arms 46, 40 which are adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the bracket member 31, said bracket member being formed with a plurality of pairs of fastening openings 4|, 4| spaced at different distances inwardly from the outer edge of the bracket member and adapted to receive suitable clamping fasteners, such as U-bolts or the like for clamping the ends of arms 46, 49 to the bracket member 31. As shown in Figure 6, the clamping fasteners may comprise fiat strap members 42 formed with U-shaped corrugations in which the ends of the arms 46, 46 are receivable, the members 42 being secured to the bracket member 31 by suitable fastening elements, such as rivets, bolts or the like. Where the arrangement employing the clamping members 42 is used, the window wiper assembly 38 may be readily attached and removed from the bracket member 31 by engaging or disengaging the ends of arms 49 in the U-shaped corrugations of the strap member 42.

Designated at 43 is a bar member which is slidably secured to the inside surface of the front wall of the housing 26 for vertical movement, the lower end of the bar member 43 extending through apertures formed in the bottom wall of housing 26 and channel member 2| into abutment with the supporting plate l1. The top end of bar member 43 is formed with the horizontally extending arm 44, and connecting arm 44 to the bottom Wall of the housing 26 is a coil spring 45 which biases the bar member 43 downwardly, the tension of spring 45 producing a downward thrust of bar member 43 on the base plate l1, whereby the housing 26 and the channel member 2| are biased in a clockwise direction relative to the base plate [1, as viewed in Figure 6. Designated at 46 is a band of elastic material, such as rubber or the like, one end of which is connected to the bracket member 31 and the other end of which is connected to the top wall of the housing 26, the band 46 passing beneath the lower pulley 35, as shown in Figure 6. Secured to the lower pulley 35 is a ratchet wheel 41 which is engageable by a depending spur 48 on the end of arm 44 when housing 26 is tilted clockwise, as viewed in Figure 6, to a position wherein pins 25 engage the upper ends of slots 24. Spur 48 prevents counterclockwise rotation of ratchet wheel 41 when engaged therewith, as viewed in Figure 6, whereby the bracket member 31 may be locked in an elevated position with band 46 in a stretched condition. Bracket member 31 may also be locked in an elevated position when housing 26 is vertical rather than tilted by the provision of a transverse pin member 49 insertable through the along the scale 30.

side walls of housing 26 and through a transversely extending sleeve 56 formed on the bracket member 31.

The support member 2| is provided with a front wall 5|, and secured to said front wall is a forwardly extending arm 52 which is of sufficient length to extend beneath the bottom edges of the respective window sash elements 12 and I3 when the window sash elements are lowered, as shown for example in Figure 3.

In using the device, the base plate I1 is first lockingly engaged with the flanged bar l5 in the manner shown in Figure 3, and the bracket member 31 is then elevated and secured in elevated position by means of the pin 49, as shown in Figure 8. The window wiper blade assembly 38 is then inserted in the strap member 42. The apparatus is then adjusted to correct position relative to the window pane to be cleaned, said adjustment being along the scale 3!, and the apparatus is adjusted outwardly to the correct position for engagement of the wiper blade 39 with the window pane, said latter adjustment being The housing 26 is clamped in its properly adjusted position along scale 30 by means of the wing nuts 29. With the parts in proper adjustment, the bracket member 31 is released by removing the pin 49 and is allowed to descend. The bracket member is then elevated manually with the housing 26 held in vertical position to aposition at the top end of its stroke, such as the position shown in Figure 1, the housing 26 being allowed to tilt outwardly under force of spring 45, whereby the spur 48 interlocks with the ratchet wheel 41 and locks the bracket member 31 in said elevated position. At this time, or previous to this step in the operation, a moistening bag of any suitable type, such as bag containing a moistened sponge, may be secured on the blade 39. The window sash is then lowered, and when the bottom edge of the sash engages the arm 52, the housing 26 is tilted forwardly to its vertical position, releasing the ratchet wheel 41, and causing the elastic band 46 to pull the wiper blade assembly 38 downwardly, causing the window to be washed by the moistened bag carried by blade 39. The same procedure may be repeated with the apparatus moved laterally to cover the remaining portion of the window pane. After the window has been thus moistened, the bag may be removed from the blade 39 and the procedure may be repeated using the blade 39 as a squeegee to remove the moisture and to clean the window pane. Each window pane may therefore be cleaned on its outside surface without the necessity of the operator leaning out of the window, the operator merely being required to reset the apparatus for each downward stroke of the wiper blade assembly 38. The upper sash 12 may be cleaned in the same manner as the lower sash l3 by merely moving the upper sash downwardly and moving the lower sash upwardly to an outof-the-way position. To clean the upper sash, it would be necessary to adjust the housing 26 to a different position outwardly along the scale 30.

As a safety feature, the sides of the housing 26 may be connected to the sides of the window frame II by respective chains 54, 54 connected to eyes 55, 55 provided on the sides of the housing 26 and detachably connected to eyes 51, 51 secured to the sides of the window frame II.

A numerical scale 60 is provided on the front wall of the housing 26 adjacent the slot 33 at its uppe end to assist in positioning the wiper blade at its initial elevated position prior to a downward stroke thereof, in accordance with the different heights of thedifferent window panes with which the window cleaning apparatus is employed.

While a specific embodiment of an improved window cleaning apparatus has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within. the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is. intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as. defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A window cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising a. base plate adapted to be'secured in an outwardly projecting position to the bottom margin of a window frame, a sup port member on said base plate, means pivotally connecting the outer end portions of said support member and base plate, an upstanding housing secured on said support member, a first pulley journaled in the upper portion of said housing, a second pulley journaled in the lower portion of said housing, a flexible belt engaged around said pulleys, said housing being substantially open at its inner side, a bracket member secured to said belt and extending through the open inner side of said housing, a wiper blade secured. on said bracket member, a catch member slidably mounted on the lower portion of said housing and engaging the base plate inwardly of the means pivotally connecting said support member and said base plate, spring means urging said catch member downwardly, a toothed wheel secured to said second pulley and being lockingly engageable by said catch member when the housing is in an outwardly tilted position, an elastic band connecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said housing and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movable upwardly to stretch said elastic band, and an inwardly extending projection on the support member engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is moved downwardly, whereby the support member will be rotated inwardly and the catch member will be disengaged from said toothed wheel when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by the contraction of said elastic band.

2. A window cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising a bar member adapted to be secured to the bottom margin of a window frame, a depending flange on said bar member spaced outwardly from said bottom margin, a base plate arranged to lockingly engage between said flange and the window frame and to be supported in an outwardly projecting, laterally adjustable position, a support member on said base plate, means pivotally connecting the outer end portions of said support member and base plate, an upstanding housing secured on said support member, a first pulley journaled in the upper portion of said housing, a second pulley journaled in the lower portion of said housing, a flexible belt engaged around said pulleys, said housing being substantially open at its inner side, a bracket member secured to said belt and extending through the open inner side of said housing, a wiper blade secured on said bracket member, a catch member slidably mounted on the lower portion of said housing and engaging the base plate inwardly of the means pivotally connecting said support mem- 6 ber and said base plate, spring means urging said catch member downwardly, a toothed wheel secured to said second pulley and bein lockingly engageable by said catch member when the housing is in an outwardly tilted position, an elastic band connecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said housing and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movable upwardly'to stretch said elastic band, and an inwardly extending projection on the support member engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is moved downwardly, whereby the support member will be rotated inwardly and the catch member will be disengaged from said toothed wheel when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by the contraction" of said elasti band.

3. A window cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising a bar member adapted to be secured to the bottom margin of a window frame, a depending flange on said bar member spaced outwardly from said bottom margin, a base plate arranged to lockingly engage between said fiange and the window frame and to be supported in an outwardly projecting, laterally adjustable position, a support member on said base plate, means pivotally connecting the outer end portions of said support member and base plate, an upstanding housing slidably secured on said support member for inward and outward adjustment with respect to the window frame, means locking said housing in adjusted position on said support member, a first pulley journaled in the upper portion of said housing, a second pulley journaled in the lower portion of said housing, a flexible belt engaged around said pulleys, said housing being substantially open at its inner side, a bracket member secured to said pulley and extending through the open inner side of said housing, a wiper blade secured on said bracket member, a catch member slidably mounted on the lower portion of said housing and engaging, the base plate inwardly of the means pivotally connecting said suppo t member and said base plate, spring means ur ing said catch member downwardly, a toothed wheel secured to said second pulley and being lockingly engageable by said catch member when the housing is in an outwardly tilted po o an elastic bandconnecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said housing and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movable upwardly to stretch said elastic band, and an inwardly extending projection on the support member engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is moved downwardly, whereby the support member will be rotated inwardly and the catch member will be disengaged from said toothed wheel when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by the contraction of said elastic band.

4. A window cleaning apparatus of the character described comprising a bar member adapted to be secured to the bottom margin of a window frame, a depending flange on said bar member spaced outwardly from said bottom margin, a base plate arranged to lockingly engage between said flange and the window frame and to be supported in an outwardly projecting, laterally adjustable position, a support member on said base plate, means pivotally connecting the outer end portions of said support member and base plate, cooperating stop means on said support member and base plate limiting upward rotation of said support member relative to said base plate, an upstanding housing slidably secured on said support member for inward and outward adjustment with respect to the window frame, means locking said housing in an adjusted position on said support member, a first pulley journaled in the upper portion of said housing, a second pulley journaled in the lower portion of said housing, a flexible belt engaged around said pulleys, said housing being substantially open at its inner side, a bracket member secured to said belt and extending through the open inner side of said housing, a wiper blade secured on said bracket member, a catch member slidably mounted on the lower portion of said housing and engaging the base plate inwardly of the means pivotally connecting said support member and said base plate, spring means urging said catch member downwardly, a toothed wheel secured to said second pulley and being lockingly engageable by said catch member when the housing is in an outwardly tilted position, an elastic band connecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said housing and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movabl upwardly to stretch said elastic band, and an inwardly extending projection on the support member engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is moved downwardly, whereby the support member will be rotated inwardly and the catch member will be disengaged from said toothed wheel when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by contraction of said elastic band.

5. In a window cleaning apparatus of the character described, a base plate, a support member adapted to be secured to the lower portion of a inwardly of the means pivotally connecting said 50 support member and said base plate, spring means urging said catch member downwardly, a toothed wheel secured to said second pulley and being lockingly engageable by said catch member when the arm is in an outwardly tilted position, an elastic band connecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said arm and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movable upwardly to stretch said elastic band, and an inwardly extending projection on the arm engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is pulled downwardly, whereby the arm will be rotated inwardly and the catch memher will be disengaged from said toothed wheel when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by the contraction of said elastic band.

6. In a window cleaning apparatus of the character described, a base plate, a support member adapted to be secured to the lower portion of a window frame, means pivotally connecting said support member and said base plate, an upstanding arm pivoted to said support member, a first pulley j ournaled to the upper portion of said arm, a second pulley journaled to the lower portion of said arm, a flexible belt engaged around said pulleys, a bracket member secured to said belt, a wiper blade secured on said bracket member, a catch member slidably engaged with the lower portion of said arm and engaging the base plate inwardly of the means connecting said support member and said base plate, spring means urging said catch member downwardly, detent means mounted on said second pulley and being lockingly engageable by said catch member when the arm is in an outwardly tilted position, elastic means connecting said bracket member to the upper portion of said arm and extending around said second pulley, said bracket member being movable upwardly to tense said elastic means, and an inwardly extending projection on the arm engageable by the lower edge of a window sash when the sash is pulled downwardly, whereby the arm will be rotated inwardly and the catch member will be disengaged from said detent means when said sash is moved downwardly, and whereby said bracket member will be moved downwardly by the contraction of said elastic means.

LOUIS ROMANO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 396,133 Zerr Jan. 15, 1889 1,914,755 Oldham June 20, 1933 1,924,922 Gehrig Aug. 29, 1933 

